Violent thunderstorms and hurricane-force winds left at least seven dead Thursday in France and Italy, uprooting trees in Tuscany and on the French island of Corsica and ripping away brick shards from St. Mark's famed bell tower in Venice. Dozens of boats in the Mediterranean Sea called for emergency help.
The storm produced gusts of more than 220 kph (136 mph) in some areas, the national weather agency Meteo France said. About 45,000 households were without power on Corsica.
Dozens were injured and 12 were hospitalized in Corsica, one in critical condition, authorities said. Storms in recent days have slammed Western European countries after a summer of extreme weather, while neighbors in central and eastern Europe are still suffering exceptional heat waves and drought.